ON ALCOHOLIC TINCTURES. 
119 
The last two tinctures were very mucilaginous. 
My only object in making experiments on this substance 
was to ascertain what quantity of alcohol was most proper 
to remove the greatest amount of soluble matter, and con- 
sequently, to describe a new proportion of this vehicle; it 
would be dangerous, perhaps, to alter the proportion adopt- 
ed by the Codex, on account of the great power of the medi- 
cine. I only wished to ascertain what strength of alcohol 
was the best. We see, according to the results exhibited in 
this table, that preference ought to be given to alcohol at 
56°, which justifies the employment of this vehicle, accor- 
ding to the Codex, 
32. Myrrh. 
grs. 
1 pt. 15 gr. by 60 gr. or 4 pts. alco. at 90° total ext. 4*12 
ss 
75 
u 
5 
ss 
id. 
3-57 
ss 
90 
ss 
5 
ss 
id, 
3-06 
a 
60 
SS 
6 
Si 
80 
4-18 
ct 
75 
ss 
5 
ss 
id. 
4-38 
ss 
90 
ss 
6 
ss 
id. 
4-50 
ss 
60 
ss 
4 
ss 
70 
4.23 
SS 
75 
SS 
5 
ss 
id. 
4'1S 
SS 
90 
ss 
6 
ss 
id. 
4.26 
ss 
60 
SS 
4 
ss 
56 
2 32 
ss 
75 
ss 
5 
ss 
id. 
3-25 
The results of these experiments are sufficient without 
commentary, to prove that the most favorable strength of the 
alcohol is 80°, and the proportion of the solvent five parts? 
for the excess taken up by a larger quantity of alcohol, is 
very trifling. The Codex directs the use of alcohol of the 
same strength. 
Thus we see the number of substances, on which 1 have 
experimented, amount to i : 32, and the number of experi- 
ments are sufficiently considerable to enable me to draw 
the following conclusions from their results : — 
